25-26 JUNE 2016
Day of the Seafarer
Day of the Seafarer 2016 was observed across the world on 25 June 2016. The theme for the year is At Sea For All.
The theme for the year has a clear link with the 2016 World Maritime Day theme, Shipping: indispensable to the world.
The themes highlight the point that seafarers serve at sea not just for the shipping industry or for their own career purposes but for all of us.
Background
•Day of the Seafarer is observed to give thanks to the seafarers for their contribution to the economy and civil society of the world. The day also acknowledges risks and personal costs borne by them while being in their jobs.
•The decision to designate 25 June as the Day of the Seafarer was taken by International Maritime Organization (IMO)in 2010.
•The first edition of the Day of the Seafarers was observed by IMO in 2011.
•The Day of the Seafarers has also been included in the list of observances by United Nations.
Pioneer of Indian quizzing Neil O'Brien died
Neil O'Brien, a pioneer of quizzing in India and leader of the Anglo-Indian community, died in Kolkata on 24 June 2016. He was 82.
A former member of Lok Sabha, Neil O'Brien was also a three-time nominated Anglo-Indian MLA in West Bengal and an educationist.
His son Derek O'Brien is an Indian television personality and Member of Parliament for All India Trinamool Congress.
Neil O'Brien
• He conducted the first well-organized, formal quiz in 1967 at Christ the King Church Parish Hall in Calcutta.
• He has served the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) as its chairman from December 1993 till July 2011. CISCE is an all India examination body which conducts the ICSE and ISC Examinations.
• He served Oxford University Press, India as its managing director.
• Being the leader of the Anglo-Indian community, he was the president-in-chief of All-India Anglo-Indian Association.
• He also headed the Frank Anthony group of schools.
Union Cabinet approves largest-ever Spectrum Auction
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 22 June 2016 approved the sale of all available spectrum in the country. This is the largest-ever spectrum auction in the country.
The move could fetch 5.5 lakh crore rupees for the exchequer, going by the reserve price. This amount is five times higher than the revenue of 1.1 lakh rupees that government earned through the auction conducted in 2015.
Main highlights of the decision
• The auction, to be conducted in September 2016, will put up about 2000 MHz of airwaves for sale.
• It will put up 700 MHz band for sale for the first time at a reserve price of 11485 crore rupees per MHz pan-India. 700 MHz band is preferred for offering high-speed broadband services and the cost of delivering mobile services in the 700 MHz band is also approximately 70% cheaper than in the 2100 MHz band (used for 3G services).
• It has fixed a reserve price of 2873 crore rupees for the 1800 MHz spectrum, which is widely used for offering voice services
• For spectrum in the 900 MHz, 800 MHz, 2100 MHz and 2300 MHz bands, reserve prices of 3341 crore rupees, 5819 crore rupees, 3746 crore rupees and 817 crore ruppes respectively have been stipulated.
• The reserve price for 2500 MHz spectrum, which is also on the offer for the first time, be equal to that of 2300 MHz spectrum.
• Companies winning spectrum above 1GHz will need to pay 50% upfront against the 33% earlier. For the remaining spectrum, 25% would be upfront payment. The balance for both categories will be paid in 10 years after a two-year moratorium.
However, the Cabinet has, decided to refer back the issue of spectrum usage charges (SUC) to the TRAI for its recommendations. The Telecom Commission (TC) had recently recommended 3% of operator’s annual revenue as SUC for upcoming auctions. SUC is an annual fee payable by telecom operators for using airwaves.
Sri Lankan Parliament passes Right to Information bill with amendments
Sri Lankan Parliament on 24 June 2016 unanimously passed the Right to Information (RTI) bill with amendments.
The bill that seeks to restore transparency and good governance in the country was adopted without a vote in the Parliament after two days of debate.
Purpose of the Bill
• To provide for the Right of Access to Information, to specify grounds on which access may be denied, to establish the Right to Information commission, to appoint Information Officers and to set out the procedure and for matters connected with it.
• It shall be the responsibility of the Ministry of the Mass Media to ensure the effective implementation of the Act.
• A five-member Right to Information Commission will be formed to monitor and ensure compliance. The members who will have powers to hold inquiries and hear appeals will be appointed by the President upon the recommendation of the Constitutional Council.
• Subject to the provisions of section 5 of this Act, every citizen shall have a right of access to information which is in the possession, custody or control of a public authority.
• A request for access to information shall be refused under following circumstances:
a) Information related to personal information devoid of any public interest
b) Defence matters of the state
c) Confidential details on international agreements
d) Information which might harm the economy of Sri Lanka
e) Trade secrets
f) Medical records
g) Communication between a professional and a public authority which is not permitted to be disclosed
h) Information which might hamper detection of any crime
i) Information which would be in contempt of court
j) Information that would infringe the privileges of Parliament
k) Information which may be harmful to the integrity of an examination conducted by the Department of Examination, etc
• It says that all ministries, departments, public corporations, local authorities, non-governmental organisations that are substantially funded by the government, higher educational institutions, courts and tribunals etc. should provide access to information and shall maintain records.
• They must also endeavour to preserve all records in electronic format.
• Every public authority should appoint information officers.
During 2015 presidential campaign President Maithripala Sirisena promised the new law, since Sri Lanka had a long history of official secrecy.
Background
The bill was presented in the Parliament on 24 March 2016 by Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media.
Earlier, the bill was introduced in 1996, but was delayed by successive governments citing national security issues, while Sri Lanka was at war with Tamil rebels until 2009.
Indian-origin lawyer Yasmin Sooka to chair panel on human rights in South Sudan
Yasmin Sooka, the South African Indian-origin lawyer and long-time human rights activist, was appointed to chair a UN commission on 24 June 2016.
The commission will monitor the human rights situation in South Sudan and make recommendations for their improvement.
She will serve together with Kenneth Scott from the US and Godfrey Musila of Kenya on the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan.
The UN resolved to establish the Commission following calls for investigation into alleged atrocities by both government and rebel forces before an independent South Sudan was carved out of the larger Sudan in 2011.
Tasks for the Commission
• It will provide guidance to the government of South Sudan on transitional justice, accountability and reconciliation issues.
• It will engage with international and regional mechanisms to promote accountability for human rights violations and abuses.
Yasmin Sooka
• She carries vast experience in global human rights matters.
• At the time of appointment, she was the Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights (FHR) in South Africa. FHR is a grant making institution that implements programmes that promote and protect human rights. It also addresses the legacy of apartheid, to promote and advance transformation in the country and to build a human rights culture using the Constitution as a tool.
• Earlier, she has served on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) established by former President Nelson Mandela from 1996-2001, assisting with the final report of the Commission.
• She has served UN’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Sierra Leone from 2002-2004.
• She was also an advisor on the UN Secretary General on accountability for war crimes committed during the final stages of the war in Sri Lanka.
Nepal bans citizens from working in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya
Nepal on 24 June 2016 banned its citizens from working in strife-torn Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya. The decision was made at a cabinet meet after 13 Nepali security guards were killed in a Taliban suicide bombing in Kabul.
Nepali nationals killed in Afghanistan were employed as security guards in the Canadian embassy in Kabul. They were killed when militants exploded a bomb in a minibus on 20 June 2016.
Decision of Nepali government
• It decided to suspend issuing labour permits to Nepalese nationals in four conflict-hit countries, namely Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya.
• It also decided to hold diplomatic talks with the Afghanistan government in order to guarantee the security and safety of the Nepalese in Afghanistan and also to provide necessary support for those willing to return home.
• It will provide 10 lakh Nepalese Rupee as compensation to families of the victims.
• It has also made arrangements for the treatment of those injured in the attack by Taliban.
• It also decided to ask the Canadian government to provide compensation to the families of the dead.
As per reports, the killed Nepali security guards were not directly employed by the embassy but were hired by a British agency. In total, 147 Nepalis were working as security guards in the Canadian embassy in Kabul.
Nepal government also evacuated 24 other Nepalese nationals who were working as security guard in the Canadian Embassy in Kabul following the terror attack.
International Olympic Day celebrated on 23 June
23 June: International Olympic Day
The International Olympic Day was celebrated on 23 June 2016. To mark the occasion, over 160 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and sports organizations across the world organised a series of events to spread Olympic values and encourage people to get involved in sports and lead more active lives.
The 2016 Summer Olympics host-city Rio de Janeiro unveiled its athletes' village to mark the day. The Brazilian city will host the XXXI Olympiad between 5 August and 21 August 2016.
About the International Olympic Day
• The day is celebrated for promotion of participation of people in the sports all across the world, irrespective of athletic, gender or age ability.
• The International Olympic Day was initiated in 1948 for commemorating the commencement of modern Olympic Games on 23 June 1894 at Sorbonne in Paris.
• There are three main pillars of the International Olympic Day - discover, learn and move.
• These three pillars of the sports event are deployed by the National Olympic Committees into sports, educational and cultural activities.
ADB approved $500 million loan to build India’s longest river bridge across Ganga near Patna
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on 24 June 2016 approved 500 million US dollars loan to build a road bridge across the river Ganga near Patna in Bihar.
Once completed, the 9.8 kilometer long bridge will be India’s longest river bridge.
Features of the bridge project
• It will provide vital transport links between the northern and southern parts of Bihar and with neighboring Nepal.
• Along with the bridge structure itself, the project will also build viaducts, embankments, and toll and service facilities, and will link to national highway networks.
• A key feature will be a year-round embankment access road for the 250000 inhabitants of the Raghopur Diara river island, ending their reliance on boats and a seasonal pontoon bridge as their only links to Patna.
• The bridge, using state-of-the-art engineering techniques, will be the first of its kind in India. In all, the bridge is expected to benefit over nine million people.
• The height and length have been designed to minimize impacts on the river itself and to ensure the bridge will be able to withstand climate-related stresses such as a rise in the water level.
• In addition to the 500 million US dollars loan, the ADB will provide 900000 US dollars in technical assistance to improve bridge operation and management.
• The Bihar Government will provide support equivalent to 215 million US dollars.
• The project will run for about 4 years with an expected completion date of the end of December 2020.
Significance of the bridge to Bihar
• Bihar, the third most populous state in India with over 100 million inhabitants, has poverty levels above the national average. Out of the state’s 10 poorest districts, 7 are located in the north.
• Traffic volumes are rising but there are only four operational bridges along the 200 km stretch of the Ganges River that pass through the State.
• The capacity of existing bridges is already stretched, undermining connectivity and access to opportunities for northern communities.
• The new bridge, which will be located near Patna, will span both channels of the Ganges River and serve as an alternate route to the existing Ganga Bridge, which has begun to deteriorate.
• It will make it easier for people to move between jobs and markets, particularly for poorer communities in the north wishing to travel to the state capital, Patna, just south of the river.
Growing menace of Road Accidents in India
The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in June 2016 launched the Road Accidents in India 2015. The report identified that road accidents have emerged as a major public health problem in India as it witnessed around 5 lakh accidents killing 146000 people.
As per the Transport Research Wing of the Ministry, which compiled the report, while the number of road accidents witnessed 2.5 percent growth, the growth was 4.5 percent in the case of resultant deaths.
Reasons for high rate of road accidents and resultant deaths
• Drivers’ fault: It has been identified as the single most responsible factor for high rate of road accidents in the country. As per the 2015 report, drivers fault accounted for 77.1 percent of total road accidents during 2015.
• Further, driving by minors, faulty driving license issuing system, absence of interval-based driving skill test system, apathy towards following rules including drunken driving, mobile usage, etc are contributing to road accidents.
• Lack of extensive road network:Out of the 5 lakh odd road accidents in 2015, more than 80 percent took place on single lane and two lane roads. Single lane roads accounted for 43 percent of all the accidents.
• Besides, lack of demarcation of roads for different users like pedestrians, bicycle riders, etc are also resulting in higher deaths. For instance, in 2015, pedestrians accounted for 9.5 percent of those killed in road accidents.
• Lack of emergency aid facilities: There is an absence of emergency aid facilities on Indian roads. In majority of instances, victims get help only after the ‘golden hour’.
• Absence of safety features in vehicles: Majority of vehicles in India does not come with the internationally prescribed safety standards due to high cost of equipment, lack of consumer awareness, absence of regulations prescribing for the features, etc.
In order to effectively tackle the growing challenge of Road Safety, the Union Government announced a concerted action plan with the intent to reduce the number of road accidents by half by 2019. To achieve this goal, it has unveiled the following initiatives.
• Constitution of the Road Safety Authority to look after overall aspects related to road safety in the county.
• Introduction of the Road Transport and Safety Bill in the Parliament for seamless development of a secure, efficient, cost-effective, sustainable and inclusive transport system for the movement of passenger and freight in the country.
• 11000 crore rupees will spent, between 2015 and 2019, to fix block spots across the country. This measure is in addition to the website that was launched to help in identifying black spots where accidents take place frequently.
• Computers will be used for conducting driving tests to curb irregularities in issuing licenses.
• Airbags will be made compulsory in every car.
• 500 crore rupees earmarked to undertake remedial engineering measures to reduce crashes on priority-1 category block spots on highways.
What, Why and How of IoT technology
The digital space has witnessed major transformations in the last couple of years and as per industry experts would continue to evolve itself. The latest entrant to the digital space is the Internet of Things (IoT).
Several countries like US, South Korea, China among others, have already taken lead in their preparedness for taking advantage for IoT. However, this transformation is not limited to the developed world alone.
Even India, both the public and private sector is gearing up to acquaint itself with the technology so that the administrative practices and business processed can be improved in an efficient and effective way.
What is Internet of Things?
• It is a seamless connected network system of embedded objects/ devices, with identifiers, in which communication without any human intervention is possible using standard and interoperable communication protocols.
• With this technology, each and every device that we use in daily life (including refrigerators, cars and even tooth brush) can be made intelligent and smart by using device specific operating systems and connectivity to the Internet.
• The large amount of data collected by in-built sensors in these devices will be fed to the remote servers through internet over cloud. This data will be used by different organizations, business and governmental, for decision making and dissemination of information.
• For example, a car insurance company can fore-warn its policy holder to not to travel in a particular stretch if the company finds out (through the data collected through sensors in the car) that he/she is the frequent traveler in a cyclone-prone area.
What are the stages involved in IoT technology?
Internet of Things involves three distinct stages -
i. The sensors which collect data (including identification and addressing the sensor/device)
ii. An application which collects and analyzes this data for further consolidation
iii. Decision making and the transmission of data to the decision-making server. Analytical engines, actuators and Big data may be used for the decision making process.
What is the business potential of IoT?
The number of Internet-connected devices (12.5 billion) surpassed the number of human beings (7 billion) on the planet in 2011, and by 2020, Internet-connected devices are expected to number between 26 billion and 50 billion globally.
Against this backdrop, the IoT will drive new consumer and business behavior that will demand increasingly intelligent industry solutions, which, in turn, will drive trillions of dollars in opportunity for IT industry and even more for the companies that take advantage of the IoT.
What are the applications of IoT?
This technology offers a range of applications including green building, smart grid, smart manufacturing, industrial monitoring, agriculture, smart cities, healthcare, connected homes, telematics and supply chain, safety and security, forest and wild life, automotive, natural disasters, etc.
What is the situation in India?
• The Union Government released the Draft Policy on IoT in October 2014. However, the draft was revised and released again in April 2015 by bringing necessary changes in tune with the Digital India and Smart Cities Initiatives.
• The policy envisages creating an IoT industry of 15 billion US dollars by 2020.
• Besides, in July 2015, the Union Government announced to set up a Centre of Excellence on IoT as a joint initiative of DeitY, Education and Research Network (ERNET) and NASSCOM.
• Similarly, the Government of Andhra Pradesh approved India’s maiden IoT policy in March 2016 with the prime objective of turning the state into an IoT Hub by 2020.
• Even in the private sector, in August 2015, Reliance Communication Ltd. entered into an agreement with the USA-based Jasper Technologies to offer IoT services in India.
Sprinter Dutee Chand qualifies for Rio Olympics
Indian sprinter Dutee Chand on 25 June 2016 qualified for Rio Olympics in the women’s 100metre event. She qualified in the games after meeting the qualification mark at 26th International Meeting G. Kosanov Memorial in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
Dutee clocked 11.30 seconds beating the Rio Olympics qualification mark of 11.32 secs.
With this fete, the champion from Odisha also became the first Indian woman to qualify for the event since qualification started for the event.
PT Usha had qualified for the event in 1980 Olympics.